India irked as Chinese Army holds military exercise at LAC border

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NEW DELHI - Indian army official has claimed China's People Liberation Army has been conducting firing exercises near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The officer has alleged that Chinese troops have been training with mortars and conducting grenade lobbing exercises close to the borders and in areas infamous for transgressions.

"It could be a Chinese strategy to communicate to India that it's matched up to Indian forces in areas where they had difficulties in negotiating the difficult terrain earlier and that they are able to deploy bigger formations deeper than ever before," an Indian e-paper The Morning Standard quoted the army officer as saying link, Sputnik has reported.

The former Indian military officer, however, said it was just "another training exercise" but asked the Indian troops to remain on alert considering Beijing's opposition to the repeal Jammu and Kashmir's special status and its bifurcation into two federally-administered territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The latter directly concerns China.

"We also do similar kinds of training near the border. This is nothing new but, yes Indian troops must remain vigilant along the border," Defence Analyst Major General Ravi Kumar Arora (Retired) said.

China has vehemently opposed the Indian decision to declare Ladakh a separate administrative region, following the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and has asked New Delhi to revert its status to that before 5 August.